Reminded me of Cancun. Not as good as Cancun...it just reminded me of it. You want a good night of salsa, merengue, cumbia, reggaeton? Go here. Three levels of dance floors...what's not to love? Drinks are affordable, but stick to shots...a lot cheaper and gets your dancing feet going a lot sooner ;) Go early so you'll only pay $15 cover. If not it's $20. Other than that...take a taxi or a DD...trust me...you will not want to stop drinking and dancing haha
Review Source:Came here for the 1st time last night to see Gaslamp Killer AND Ghostface Killah!! Loved the outside decor and the inside was impressively big! Although we were on the upstairs level standing, the sound travelled well and it was great to have room to dance too although the place was packed out!
Review Source:Updating my yelp! Had a BLAST last month, my sister celebrated her birthday here, awesomness that you can reserve a table for free and there is not stupid bottle service either! We had a blast on Saturday night, live salsa, cumbia band was amazing, the DJ was great, the dance floor is ample! The second floor had rock en espanol and 80's jams, and i guess the basement was hip hop. This place is great for birthday parties!
Review Source:It is a big club, most if not all Spanish music. We went Saturday night there was a band it was pretty good. The music is not bad.
It is a pretty club (Mayan style). There are different floors but they all play the same music which is don't understand why? At least one level play trance or hip pop. The parking is close but you have to pay.
If you go after 11 you have to pay $20 which is actually expensive. Drinks are fair priced for LA.
There are large projector screens- they play the music videos (kinda of fun to watch the videos).
I came here on a Sat. night.
Come here before 10:30pm for $12 cover, after is $20.
They are strict on dress code, especially for guys, so make sure your man friends are not wearing tennis shoes. Â There is this random guy outside selling shoes and dress shirts for the unprepared.
I did NOT know that this club mainly plays salsa/cha cha music.
Luckily I had taken a dance class before, so I knew some of the basic moves.
They have 3 floors, the main floor has a live band, and is where they mainly play latin music. Â The majority of clientele whom frequent this club are of Hispanic / Latin descent.
I don't really care if I cannot understand the music if the music is fun to dance to, and the music they were playing was FANTASTIC. Â Plus it is not overly sexualized ( or maybe it is) but I had no idea since I could not understand it.
The 1st floor has a hip hop DJ whom was GREAT. Â He played old - school hip hop, plenty of grinding music, etc. Â Every single song he played was great to get freaky too hehe.
On the 3rd floor they were playing a mix of edm / salsa / cha cha / latin music. Â The 3rd floor was the smallest of the three.
They have plenty of seating here, which I love!!! Â They also have balcony / outside standing space for smokers and to cool off.
Cons: Â One of the female bartenders forgot to put lemon juice and sugar in my lemondrop. so my lemondrop became shaken vodka in a cup. whatever the fuck that is. It was nasty.
I will definitely come here again!!! (I did not see that much Asians there, but I am all about diversity :) )
P.S. Park 2 blocks away instead of parking right next to the club. Â Parking next to the club is $15, compared to $7.
Not my type of place but didnt hurt to try it out, this wasnt the original plan for a friday night.  I was very disapointed with the bar service HORRIBLE! Ive never  been to any bar/club where they have a very rude bartender. We walked up to try and order drinks from Sheen which by the way we stood there for 23 minutes and he ignored us after we waved him down. He kept taking care of people that would come up and pretended he was cleaning his area.
Seriously dude! Ive never felt so IGNORED. I could of sworn I was being on an MTV Â show being tested on my patience. When he realized I got his name from another bartender then he turned around to help. I am a good tipper I take care of my bartender's "you take care of me, I take care of you". Yes I waited for his service and I didnt tip him after all the time I stood there to get service and be noticed you dont deserve a penny from me, over all the night was good. I have to definitely thanks Sherry short little blondie for getting us in FREE that night, we didnt even know girls were in FREE before 11pm we were just going to walk up and pay. She got us on her list quick and we walked in. The atmosphere was great, the crowd was decent, music had me hyped up. Good night but it could of been better if it wasnt for the bartender ruining my mood. RIDICULOUS! But after a few drinks it was good.
I hadn't been here in years and recently, on my birthday, my good friend (from England who loves dancing salsa) and I decided to give it a try. Ya know?! We had one of the best nights yet... And we've been going out dancing to a few salsa places regularly over the last 3 mos. We've now been here three times, going on our 4th this coming Sat.
They also have a quirky but fun event on Valentine's Day we're checking out. Mexican masked wrestling and a strip tease/burlesque show... Ha!
Now, don't think you're going to walk into some posh place with a well-heeled crowd. As my girlfriend put it, "I want to dance somewhere where there's so much sexual energy that someone walks out pregnant!" Haha
Well this place might just fit that bill. But take it for what it is. It's not really a salsa club anymore (which it used to be years ago), they play salsa, merengue, Cumbia, hip hop, electronic, hip hop, top 40,... All the dance stuff. And yeah, 70% of the crowd is no taller than 5'7" and a 5 at most... But hey, I'm an optimist and focus on the 30% who in the daylight might get a "pass." In all fairness tho, as one of the other reviewers put it, because they have a pretty strict dress code, most ppl look presentable...that does make a difference.
Overall, if you're looking to have a great time dancing the night away with no cares in the world (and you like the sound and rhythm of Latin music and you yourself have rhythm and are willing to dance), then this is the place for you!
FYI -'they have a coat check which is great for the ladies.
One tip... Get there before 10 when cover is less ($12?) and leave by 1a before the drunkards start acting up. Hey it happens everywhere, just know when to exit and you'll be fine.
Life is short, do what makes you happy!
*Review is for concert venue aspect only*
I have never been to this club for anything other than live music. And in that sense it is very mediocre although it is definitely a unique interior space. The FLOOR is very cramped. The acoustics are not particularly good. I would not go out of my way to see a show that you particularly are not in need of attending, but would also not specifically avoid this venue if someone is playing that I want to hear. Just A-OK. - E
I hate straight clubs. Using the word "hate" as an adjective is very rare for me, but when it comes to straight clubs I truly hate how pretentious the atmosphere is. The bouncers are dim-wits, the fact that you have to have a certain look about you (their enforcement of Dress Code) is ridiculous, BUT when I came to Club Mayan about 2 weeks ago I was so impressed and I had a ridiculous amount of fun.
For some reason girls at straight clubs are a little more subdued maybe they're actually looking to finally get them heels knockin'. Whatever the case I tried to wipe the look of boredom on so many chicks' faces but I am certain they thought I was some creepy straight guy trying to make a pass at them, in all honesty I just wanted everyone to have a good time cause I myself was having such a good time.
The music was good, the drinks were good, the ambiance was rockin', and for the first time I now see why they would want to enforce a dress code. When people actually look nice it makes the entire experience kinda like something special you dont do too often. I will definitely be back! :D
The Mayan is a cool concert venue that has some peculiar shortcomings, namely some really weird rules they have in place. There really isn't a bad view in the building, with a fairly small floor area, a raised floor near the bar, and a decently sized balcony with plenty of seating room that's first-come, first-served. The interior has some pretty and unique designs, really trying to drive home that whole "Mayan" temple theme, and the sound quality in the building is pretty good, effectively filling the whole venue without sounding distorted anywhere. The lighting is poor, but that's a minor gripe.
Like I said, however, they have some WEIRD rules. Attendees over 21 enter through a separate entrance as those under 21, which can suck because the 21+ line is usually much longer and puts you in a different area, so if you're one of those people who wants to be right up front, you're better off just pretending to be under 21 and not drinking so you can head straight to the floor area in the quick line. And to show just how paranoid their staff is about underage attendees not drinking, you can't even leave the floor area once you're on it without showing your I.D. (come on, guys, you're already given a wristband for showing your I.D. at the 21+ entrance, for crying out loud) Not to mention the drinks are pretty overpriced to begin with. And there's metal detectors, which isn't a complaint, but it's a real oddity for a venue this small.
But if you can tolerate those annoyances, the Mayan's a fun place to see shows. Parking is pretty easy, with on-site parking being $7 (cheap compared to other venues downtown or in Hollywood) and plenty of parking on the surrounding blocks for cheaper or even free. And though it's sort of on the outskirts of downtown, it's not an unsafe area.
Review as concert venue only:
the good:
- in DTLA = parking isn't as difficult (vs. WeHo, etc...); was able to find free street parking (after 8pm)
- large venue: standing room or you can sit in the mezz area (no back support though; bleacher style)
- walking distance from Pico stop on Blue line (a little over half a mile away)
- plenty of restaurants in the nearby L.A. Live
- enough restrooms
the bad:
- charging $4 for water with no option for tap
- smoking section outside that you have to weave through to get close to the stage
- poor acoustics/sound: all I could hear was the base; could barely hear the lyrics at times
- Next door to Belasco: can hear music FROM Belasco when their club is open (I didn't pay money to hear top 40's club remixes intermittently during my concert experience)
- very very stuffy
I've had a lot of great memories at the Mayan, but I went to go see a show last night that my friend won tickets for, I made no such memory. Â She'd actually won tickets from 2 separate vendors, which is totally legit, but when we got there (I drove up from Long Beach), Will Call would only let her have 1 pair, so 2 of us couldn't get in. Â I had money in my pocket ready to spend at the bar and have bought tickets for dozens of shows over the last decade. Â It was rude and I'm really dissapointed in the way they treat their customers.
Review Source:I was at the club this past Saturday, August 18, 2012. My overall review of the club is as follows:
Pros:
Huge club and dance floor
Great light show
3 levels
Drinks are average prices
Security staff respectful
Cons:
Music can be better. (Dj plays music that is often wack.)
Older crowd
Too strict on having guys wear long sleeve collar shirt or coat on hot days. (Seriously.)
Some Gurlz are hot 20% Â the rest are Grenades 90%.
In my opinion, the club needs to step up the promotions dept. to attract a younger crowd and ease off a little on the dress code. That is why alot of the clients are not going any more. I wont be at the club for another month or so...
I've been here for their club, for a concert and for Lucha Vavoom.
Not particularly fond of their club (unless you like partying it up with your parents).
The venue is pretty cool for concerts & Lucha Vavoom, however. Pretty great views from where ever you're standing.
Depending on the night, parking could be as cheap as $3 at the lot across the street.
I wish I can remember how much fun i had the time i went but having woken up with a sprained ankle, bruises everywhere, hickies and a fractured rib, I have to say my drunk ass probably had a really good time, too bad I cant remember anything.
Prices went down since the last time I went, now its $10 before 10:30 and $17 after that.
A small drink goes for $8, tall one goes for $10. We had gone to a chick bartender on the 2nd floor and good lord, the drinks were dam good!
That night I had a four loco before getting into the club and 3 drinks at the club and boom! Can you say Black Out? lol
This club always has tons of people, good music. Â They still have the 3 different dance floors with good music. Â Def a place to go to.
Came here on a Saturday night with the wifey. We went a little early since it was 12 bucks before 10:30 and 20 bucks after. Although the drinks came with an expensive price tag(12 bucks or so) I must admit I had a blast. This place has three floors all with different types of music playing. It is like going to 3 different clubs but only paying for one. If you're just not feeling it, you can go upstairs or downstairs depending on your preference. They had a live band playing salsa bachata merengue and cumbia. I will definitely go here again.
P.S. Beware of the 3 dollar parking signs around the area and make sure you read the fine print...Got My Ass
My first time at the Mayan was for a Jack White concert. Â Previously I'd heard mixed reviews about the Mayan from friends (e.g., it's skanky, it's crazy, it's crowded, it's beautiful inside, it's huge), so I wasn't sure what to expect. Â I found the interior to be pretty interesting with all the Mayan decor (I think it's because I'm really into ancient civilizations), but other people I was with weren't really impressed. Â It was pretty dark inside, and it did have a bit of a skanky, dingy club feel to it. Â Of course the vibe really depends on what events are going on there. Â Seating for Jack White was pretty dismal. Â There were uncomfortable looking bleacher style seats on an upper level. Â The lower level was all standing room, and it was hard to see as it seemed like a ton of Jack White fans were 6ft or taller. Â The sound quality was OK but not as crisp as I would have liked.
I wouldn't normally go out of my way to go to this club again, but I appreciate that they host a variety of shows here.
Don't let the cool website fool you tis club SUCKS!!! It's dirty (the bathrooms are filthy) the crowd is waaaayyy older when I say "older" I mean in their 60s lol
We saw a 60 year old couple making out on the dance floor lmao!
there are 3 floors and they all suck! music sucks the only way you will have a good time is if you get super fucked up and are with good friends.
This review is for the Mayan Theater as a concert venue and my experience I had last night.
We were super excited when Jack White announced that he was playing at the Mayan. I had never been here and loved the idea of seeing my favorite musician in a small venue like this one.
First impression.. Check-in at will-call was smooth and fast. General layout: awesome. Small space giving an intimate feel (the low ceiling helped with that impression), which is what I like. There seemed to be a bar in every corner and every floor., which made for short lines.
Second impression: the place was filthy dirty. I appeared that somebody partied there the night before and the night crew didn't show up to clean the place. Disgusting. Bathrooms? Thanks for the 4 stalls in the ladies room. Yes, 4! For a venue that holds ! 1,000 plus visitors?! Â
But the worst experience of it all, which completely ruined the evening for me, was the SOUND / ACOUSTICS. Or the lack thereof. It was horrible. Too muffled, too loud, not engineered, tuned or calibrated whatsoever. I am not a sound engineer, but I have been to plenty of concerts to know what sounds good and what doesn't. This didn't. I couldn't understand a single word that was sung or spoken and am utterly surprised that someone of Jack's caliber would even consider uttering a single note in this joint.
I called the theater this morning to share my experience and the gal on the phone was nothing but nice, took my name, and number and seemed genuinely concerned with my complaint. We'll see what changes, if anything. Well, I won't see as I won't go back, but hopefully things will change for you (if you decide to go)
OK, so Club Mayan has a really awesome interior (although it is cheesy in a way) and it deserves 4 stars just for that, but it is really a salsa club or something like that most of the time (minus one star) so I would never come here normally! Inside they have art all over the inner facade which is meant to resemble stucco art from the Classic and Postclassic period Maya culture! Strangely enough there are also Aztec and even Tiahuanacan (from Peru) looking elements here haha.... Do I sound like a scholar here? Well, I should because I studied archeology....
Anyway....
This place has a pretty big bar. As far as acoustics are concerned, well don't ask me, you see I am not the chamber orchestra (or whatever they are called) type of guy. All I know is that my band sounded great here but the lead singer had to move one of the amps to get the desired effect.
What band was it you ask? Only the best current band out there: A PLACE TO BURY STRANGERS!!!! It's actually fitting that APTBS played here since they actually used a picture of Maya architecture on their new EP. I wonder if they requested the venue?
I can't really recommend this place since - like me - the only reason you may end up here is if your favorite band plays here.... I'm not into salsa even in its food form so don't expect me to tell you whether or not this place has a cool scene.
This place is located in DTLA so there is no nearby free parking :(
The exterior and the interior of The Mayan is freakin dope. It seriously feels like you are about to enter the Indiana Jones ride at Disneyland, or you are about to check into a super cheesy themed Vegas Hotel. As far as the the layout and decor...i'm a huge HUGE fan.
I came here for the Ting Ting's show and the sound didn't travel very well in the Mayan. Everything was very loud and distorted...but it was probably because it was echoing through out the temple-like building. There are several bars throughout the venue and there is also an upper tier where you can sit on some cascading steps. It's a cool place to hang out if you are avoiding the under-aged kids on the main floor. Overall, the place is pretty ghetto. Word on the street is that this place turns into a salsa club over the weekend. thats pretty cool....
Dear Club Mayan,
I have been calling you for a couple days. It would be fucking GREAT if you can please return my call because I forgot to close my tab, and you still have my ID and credit card. I tried stopping by your venue twice and your doors were locked both times.
To be completely honest, this place is GHETTO, but I like their music selection. Every Saturday night they have a band that plays the cumbia, salsa, merengue, and when they take a break the DJ plays the usual top 40, which means I always have a blast dancing until they close.
The guys aren't good looking, and they're constantly bugging you to dance with them, but they're mostly respectful so it's bearable, in my opinion. Besides if you really want to avoid a pushy dude, all you have to do is go to another floor. Another reason why I like this place, the options. DJ Oggy at the bottom floor plays hip hop all night (it does get super packed and hot though), and I'm not really sure what the upper floor plays in general, because it seems like they have a different kind of music every time, but that's another place to go I guess.
There's a lot of fashion disasters, but I guess that comes with the ghetto-ness. I would say, if you're looking to dance your shoes off, and don't mind that everyone in there will be shorter than you even though you're only 5'3, then this is the place for you.
I was there for the first time at the 2012 Valentine's Ball (Psychobilly Concert) on Feb. 12th, 2012. The manager was extremely rude and really unprofessional to sponsors (we were one) before the show.
At the end of the night, Rich Vreede/Black Cat Entertainment, the promoter of the event, had to be escorted out by police because he had stiffed the bands and owed "investors" money and I heard that someone had threatened him or something. The Mayan security staff was rude to the bands that were just trying to get their money. We were filming the situation (video is up on you tube, just search "black cat rip off" ) and were filming from the street and the security guards shined flashlights at our cameras even though it was perfectly legal to film in the street.
While Rich Vreede / Black Cat ripping off bands is not the Mayan's fault, this type of behavior from this particular promoter has allegedly been going on for years. And when thy associate with promoters like this and a problem like this occurs, I think it reflects badly on the venue. Therefore, they do bear some responsibility.
They also bear responsibility of the rude behavior of the manager (I think that was his tittle, if not I apologize) to the sponsors and for the thuggish tactics of the security team that was clearing the streets after the show. People were understandably upset and trying to get their money but the attitude of the security personnel simply made the situation worse.
I hear the Mayan does a good job with Lucha Va Voom, which I also hear puts on a good show there, so I hope to try them again. If I change my mind on the place, I'll write up a revision to this review. In the meantime, I have a really bad taste in my mouth for these guys and hope they choose their promoters and events more wisely in the future.
CLUB MAYAN... Live Salsa orchestras every Saturday night! DJ Pedro el Sabroso & DJ Saturn spinning a tropical mix of salsa,merengue, and more ya'll....Ok atmosphere and at least the dress code is enforced. Be prepared to dance your heart out or you'll be thoroughly disappointed. Baila otra vez!!!
-tigre
Oh the Mayan...so many memories built over a decade of partying at this club. Like ANY club experience, I say, the night is only going to be as good as you make it out to be. Clubs have a reputation for having cover charges, expensive drinks, rude security, dirty bathrooms, too crowded...blah, blah, blah. That's a club, if you don't like it then maybe you're just not cut out for clubbin'.
The Mayan is HUGE, the main room has a BIG dance floor/stage area. The upstairs and downstairs rooms are a lot smaller and VERY hot but there are exits on both sides that lead you quickly to the outside to catch some air. There are bars pretty much all over the place so I've never had to wait in line for too long. Drink prices are average $6-$10...but there are definitely some bartenders that give you your money's worth if not more.
I like Fridays because the main room plays a mix of everything; Top 40, hip hop, spanish, trance. The other rooms stick to hip hop only or trance and top 40. Saturday the main room ONLY plays salsa, they have a live band. The downstairs room plays all hip hop and the upstairs room plays top 40 and spanish.
I like that this club has something for everyone, it's fun to change up the atmosphere and hop from room to room. There are people of many different ages that party here and it's mostly Latinos and Black. Security is hella cool, I've never had a problem with them...but I'm sure they are your worst enemy if you're acting a fool.
Biggest con: They need some AC in the smaller rooms...it's uncomfortably hot!!!
This place has gone the shitter in the past decade, so if you get your feelings hurt, deal with it. This is more of a nostalgic blurb.
Main floor. Lots of guys (and probably girls) whose height doesn't allow them to ride roller coasters.
Upper floor, usually dead, use the bathroom for any signs of life.
Lower floor, "hip hop" or sauna room. Just walking through there will give you the feeling of wanting to take a long shower.
Avoid at your own expense unless blackmailed by friends.
This is where u take your friend who just lost their dog or got dumped.
This place is pretty raunchy, be cautious ladies you might come out this place prego and not know how that happened. The guys here are in heat and latch on if u let them. However, if you or your friend are looking for a sleazy place to get lost in then you should come here.
Dress code is enforced, so guys wear shoes and button down shirt. However, jeans are selective and that depends on who is wearing them cause it is like hit or miss if they are accepted or not.
Drinks are typical LA prices $12 and up, but man they serve like fire balls with every drink. There are three dance floors, the basement plays hip hop, the main floor plays Latin music/trance/house/techno, and the third floor plays 80's and 90's music. Semi mixed crowd, but mostly Latin peeps.
I gave 2 stars because this place is a meat market with not much variety or quality in their steak. Floors are wet and nasty, the bathrooms are small, and the main room is the only place they take pride in. The rest of the club looks like a sleazy bowling alley.
When Melissa K. announced that her birthday party would take us to The Mayan, I thought, uh oh. Â My boyfriend and his unrealized dance potential are not going to enjoy this. Â I also thought, uh oh, I've heard so much talk of how "ghetto" this place is, maybe it's actually dangerous.
It turned out to be a fun night. Â Matt B. didn't quite bust out any salsa, but he didn't stick out too badly on account of his lack of motion. Â As for the "ghetto" bit, there was a metal detector to come in and the club wasn't in the best part of downtown, but it felt safe enough. Â If you freak out when there are no white people, though, I guess you're better off sticking to Main Street, Santa Monica. Â Matt was one of the only people sporting the rice white skin tone. Â Hence the "ghetto" designation, I gather? Â Sigh.
I'd heard a lot of negative things about The Mayan, so I was surprised at how nice it was. Â It wasn't super clean or pretty, but it had an old theater grandiosity to the decor that made it look like a second or third tier Vegas club. Â The main room was big and open, with a lot of clubby lights, and the dance floor wasn't too crowded. Â We were a big group, and we had plenty of room to writhe around. Â I wouldn't recommend going downstairs, though. Â That bottom room was an inferno. Â The second I went in, I got the gross sense that the air was sweating into me. Â Apparently, that's where they keep the hip hop. Â Not worth the heat.
There was fast service at the bar, and for the first time since college, I had an Adios Motherfucker. Â It tasted like blue nail polish, but it might have made my night. Â I woke up late the next day with no conception of time.
So it was a fun party, much more so than I'd been led to expect. Â I do have a major complaint. Â $20 cover? Â Crazy talk. Â I'd rather spend that money on drinks that don't erode my esophagus. Â To be fair, I'm not much for clubs in general, or club drinks. Â I didn't hate The Mayan, so if my friends want to come again I'll cough up the $20 without putting up a fight.
Tall girls, go elsewhere for Saturday night antics: guys here will literally be tit height. Well, unless you're into that. There also needs to be better quality control at the door. Why would they let in wookies and tiny ewoks?
The only imported Mexican beers they had here was shitty Corona...IN A CAN. Blasphemy.
The upstairs dance floor was insanely humid and smelled like a sweaty locker room. Avoid.
Music was a pretty good mix of salsa, bachata, cumbia and top 40 hits. There was even a great live band.
Fresh out of the Gogol Bordello concert at the Mayan... such a great venue I had to review it the moment I got home.
I don't know anything about the salsa. I know little of any converted theatre. What I do know is that I've seen Gogol at three different venues over the years, and the Mayan takes the cake.
Small, but not claustrophobic, I could see the stage just fine from the bar level. The stage front area was large enough to contain two mosh pits with safe zones between. Good acoustics. Strong drinks ($11).
Yay, Club Mayan.... I'm a fan.
Okaaaaaaay, I am convinced- and I mean convinced that the owners of this joint have a golden shower fetish, or get off watching women in long bathroom lines squirming and shuffling.
A club that size should have more than 1 women's bathroom with just 4 stalls. Â when I was there, that was reduced to 3 for the time being because one stall was not available for use. Â WTF, Mayan? Â I was here to see Digweed with my dancin' buddy Jim, and I have no complaints about Digweed's performance (he nailed it). Â
Yeah, the architecture is interesting. Â The sound system is decent, ditto for the acoustics of the venue. Â The drink prices are what you expect in LA clubs- expensive, but not any more than other clubs. Â However, the bathroom situation is untenable. Â Be sure to get your bum in line WAY before you have to go, and do NOT even think about going here when you have a urinary tract infection, because you WILL have an accident. Â I'm docking a point because the bathroom situation is beyyyyond ridic.
In fact, maybe if ppl started peeing all over the place, the owners will be forced to get over their fetish and build another f&*king bathroom.
I used to party here MANY years ago back when the crowd was hot and the dress code was like.. prom night. Â It was great those days but when I went back with my date a few months ago, it was far from what it used to be. Sure people are still dressing up but not in those GQ suits and beautiful gowns. I saw a lot of flashy sequined strange clothes. I guess it was because there was a salsa dance competition that night.
Sure I enjoyed trying to dance to the live salsa band and watching the competition but I wouldn't come back, especially on girls' night out. BUT if you're into extremely short men dressed in glittery see-through shirts, sweating to salsa music.. this is the place!
I need lots of drinks for this.. oh wait..It's too expensive to get drunk here. Let's go somewhere else.. oh wait... I just paid $20 admission. D@mn! I'm stuck here.
Maybe it was just the wrong night. I might give it another try if I ever learn to salsa dance.
Came here for a special house night featuring DJ John Digweed. I was excited because I don't party downtown quite enough and I have heard good things about this venue. The first thing I will say is that the security is another level. Not only was I patted down like I was crossing the border ("whoa buddy, that's all me there relax"), but I also walked through a metal detector to insure I was weapon free. I suppose I appreciate the added safety measures though it can tend to be a bit of a buzzkill.
The interior is LARGE. Reminds me a lot of Avalon in Hollywood but nicer and cleaner. There's a huge entryway leading to a main room where the musical acts are playing and there is plenty of room to dance without feeling too suffocated by large crowds. There is a second floor lounge area with bathrooms as to give you a break from the big room which is a nice touch.
The smoking areas run along the alleys beside the building and give a cool quieter area from the insanity going on inside. I do like the old school theater feel to the place. You can tell it's an old building with a lot of history but definitely well kept. Like most super clubs in LA, the drinks are expensive but depending how well you tip your bartender they will hook you up with some strong "pump you up" Arnold style drinks.
Just a note: I heard they have a phenomenal salsa night here so if that's more your style, check it out.
This review is for the Digweed event on 3/11/2009
Summary: Converted theater venue made into a great venue for music/concert-related events.Big name DJ's, etc.
Pro: Beautiful Decor. Smoking areas. Expansive space. The acoustics is great because it used to be a theater. 5 minute walk from my place.
Con: Bathroom lines can get quite long. Redbull vodka with house vodka was $10. Crowd can get older-creepy-esque. Cougars can get quite demanding.
So after prepartying with some remnants of rum and soda and maybe some kind of inhaled substance that probably is tobacco if you are asking, and maybe not if you aren't asking, we strolled over to the Mayan.
We arrived relatively early, around 10:30, and was impressed by the decor and sheer expansiveness of the place. We did our normal thing, which was to immediately drink more, and then I did my thing, which is to dance my heart out.
... and then the cougars came out.
With ferociously fabulous Fendi gear, plumped lips, alphahydroxy/retin-A reduced wrinkles, botox-smoothed crowsfeet around their eyes, they came in packs, silently, with high heels, staring, peering, no.. purring into the club wilderness. They knew what they wanted, and this was man meat. Young man meat.
They used all the tricks of the trade they learned as apprentice cougars, before failed marriages, days and loves gone by, and the torment of daily life itself. With a flip of their hair, with a small shimmy in their denim capris to stretch out worn and heavy hearts, a cosmo in their red acrylic enhanced hands, they got to work.
They proceeded quickly, with an eerie methodicalness, dispatching their opponents one by one. They stalked with their eyes, carefully formulating scenarios, outcomes, plans, counter-plans, contingencies, exit strategies. I watched in horror as a young virginal man was stalked, inexperience emanating from deep within, his body posture signaling an easy prey. They quickly surrounded him, offered him drinks, and he was quick and easy work, his drooping eyes, his eyes glazed over, and his soul soon to be forever tarnished. This was worse than shark week on Discovery channel. This was cougar night at the Mayan.
My friends were mostly all paired off, and my buddies used the common  but effective tactic of having a woman in their arms to fend them off, but alas, I was alone, and I severely regretted my cocked fedora, a red feather upturned, as this was like an open wound in the Bermudas.
I sought shelter by sandwhiching between two of my buddies, but they were soon to be distracted by their feminine partners. I spun furiously, my eyes cockneyed as I avoided all eye-contact, and made sure the front of my body was pointed nowhere in particular. I started to pop and lock, my flailing arms and legs providing a furious and effective barrier to the the dreaded lean and boob bump into the back.
I enhanced my defenses by using the ice from the drink my friend dropped, spreading it around behind me-- the cougars would not be able to cross this barrier in their heels, I hoped. And they did try, one of them being so bold as to walk to this barrier and dance three times.
The story must be ended now as the harrowing details are far too painful, but suffice to say, I survived this brutal assault, and learned a new lesson about the fragility of life.
I lived another day, and the cougars will have to wait their turn.
It's always kind of crazy when you realize you've been some place before. When I walked into the Mayan and looked at the stage, I had some sort of hazy memory of screaming at some awful band there. But if you asked me what band, I couldn't tell you. And then I feel like I've been here before some dance club night. Yet another memory lost to the wind.
What I didn't remember was how huge this club is. Or how ornate the decor is. This is a kitschy theater with its gigantic ceiling feature and stone walls. I fell in love with the place for its decor.
Last night, we sat upstairs. There aren't actually seats, just rows and rows of barely padded blocks. Some guy was even laying supine on the one at the very top during intermission.
There are bars everywhere. I lost count how many there were but there was even a makeshift bar at the very top. Pricing is fairly expensive but expected for a club. My $8 screwdriver was tiny but strong.
The restroom situation was out of control though. The venue was sold out and then some. Lines were so long, I crossed my legs and waited for the show to start again before attempting to go to the restroom. There were only four stalls in the second story restroom. With that many bars, this place needs more restrooms!
As for parking, there are lots everywhere. Just be aware of the lots that say $3...and then in tiny print, it says for every 20 minutes, $10 max. I got suckered but considering it was a well-lit lot and fairly painless to get in and out of it, I conceeded it might have been okay.
So, despite its flaws, I would definitely come back.
Friend: Hey, what's up with tomorrow?
Me: What do you mean? What's going on tomorrow?
Friend: The Yeah Yeah Yeahs show is tomorrow, isn't it?
Me: Oh!! I am a dummy!
I'm going to the Yeah Yeah Yeahs tomorrow!
_____________________________________
*Group of 4 asks Rodger and Hana: "Hey, sorry guys, could you scooch just a bit and make room for these two girls? They don't need that much room!" I should have told them to go suck a big fat one right then and there.
2 minutes later *clunk clunk* As I felt a nudge, I looked down at my feet and see a girl who had fallen from the standing level above me. We help stand her back up on her feet and lift her back to her level. As I look up, I see her and her friends still drunk and drugged up on whatever they were on (because I think 90% of people in L.A. are on something, okay okay, too high? 89%) and smiling! Her friends didn't even gasp and ask how she was.
I was getting down with Karen O, and boom! I feel a someone crash onto me again. I look at my feet and all I see is hair. We pick this hairball up and under her was the same girl that fell on me the first time. We push their asses back to where they were and again, ALL SMILES. I don't know what they were on, but keep it away from me. I looked back to check if they were still there 10 minutes later but they were gone. I hope they went to find level ground and they aren't smiling still.
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